unreasonable

adjective

un·​rea·​son·​able
ˌən-ˈrēz-nə-bəl,
-ˈrē-zᵊn-ə-bəl How to pronounce unreasonable (audio)
1
a
: not governed by or acting according to reason
unreasonable people
b
: not conformable to reason : absurd
unreasonable beliefs
2
: exceeding the bounds of reason or moderation
working under unreasonable pressure
unreasonableness
ˌən-ˈrēz-nə-bəl-nəs
-ˈrē-zᵊn-ə-bəl- How to pronounce unreasonable (audio)
noun
unreasonably
ˌən-ˈrēz-nə-blē
-ˈrē-zᵊn-ə-blē How to pronounce unreasonable (audio)
adverb

Examples of unreasonable in a Sentence

I told him that I wouldn't pay unless he sent me a replacement. Am I being unreasonable? You are entitled to compensation for unreasonable delays.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Left in the dust ‘Cruise’ driverless robot taxis are seen at a parking lot as California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) revokes its self-driving car permit and citing ‘unreasonable risk to public safety’ in San Francisco, California, USA on October 24, 2023. Kristian Burt, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024 To determine whether those amounts posed an unreasonable risk of harm, the agency compared them to a specific benchmark — the highest concentration of formaldehyde measured by government monitors in outdoor air between 2015 and 2020. Sharon Lerner and Al Shaw, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024 What restraints are unreasonable is often the subject of intense debate and economic analysis, but common complaints are agreements which raise prices or decrease output. Chris Deubert, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024 In a federal wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of his family, attorneys called the officers' actions that morning unreasonable, excessive and deadly. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unreasonable 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of unreasonable was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unreasonable

Cite this Entry

“Unreasonable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unreasonable. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Legal Definition

unreasonable

adjective
un·​rea·​son·​able
: not reasonable : beyond what can be accepted: as
a
: clearly inappropriate, excessive, or harmful in degree or kind
an unreasonable delay
an unreasonable restraint of trade
b
: lacking justification in fact or circumstance
an unreasonable inference
especially : irrational sense b
the agency decision was unreasonable
c
: not supported by a warrant or by a valid exception to a warrant requirement (as when there is reasonable suspicion) and therefore unconstitutional
the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violatedU.S. Constitution amend. IV
see also search, seizure
unreasonableness noun
unreasonably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unreasonable

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